Demeaning Truth
by DovaRaak
Summary: Its the end of an era, but a beginning of the campaign.
1. Chapter 1

Aero pounded his fists against the great door separating him from Dalcrud's throne room. The iron vibrated, sending a deep hum through the halls of Dalcrud's castle, alerting all the guards to Aero's presence, yet none came. They were all too busy fighting Leon at the very gates of the palace to heed any attention to Aero.

"Open up Dalcrud, I know you're in there," Aero's voiced pierced through the inseparable doors. His fists made no marks upon the iron, except the blood that began to pour from cuts and gashes. Aero continued pounding away at the door, but came to no avail. He made no dent, scratch, even scuff, to show for his efforts. Then, from the other end, the doors slowly separated, and began to open.

Between the opening doors, stood an elderly man, in a heavy fur coat, with his arms open wide. Beneath the coat was a black tunic, with flowing, cloth pants, and leather boots adorning his feet. At either side of the elder; stood two younger men, his two sons, Xander and Deran. Aero had dealt with them already, almost a month ago. Their faces were flowing with shame and disgust, even though they looked away from Aero, he still noticed it.

"Young Aero, how happy I am to see you. I didn't expect you to come all the way here just to visit, and exchange words," Dalcrud chuckled to himself.

"I didn't" Aero replied, lunging forward to grab the old man. Just as Aero's hands entered the throne room, three massive guards in full armor seized him without though, and held him to the ground.

"I'd be careful if I were you young Alraith boy! I am not to be threatened in my own house, by a filthy peasant like you," Dalcrud spat at the ground beneath him. Aero looked up, his arms stretched behind him, and held in the cold, metallic arms of the guards' armor.

"I am no peasant! My father served upon your council of thirteen as one of the highest and most respected," Aero spat back. Dalcrud softly chuckled to himself, and signaled the guards to release Aero. As the guards did so, Aero fell slump to the ground, but quickly regained his footing.

"Before you decide to, _attack_, me again, think boy. Why not you and I just talk?" Dalcrud asked, showing a table with two cups of tea set already.

_He was expecting me to come, _Aero thought to himself. Grunting, Aero nodded, and walked to the table. Dalcrud looked to his guards, and told them to leave, as well to his sons. After everyone took their leave, he finally took his seat across from Aero, and poured them both a cup of steaming tea.

"So, why did you come here?" Dalcrud asked, lifting his cup to sip. As the tea passed into Dalcrud's system, his elderly look faded away to that of a man in his young forties.

"Obviously not for pleasantries and tea," Aero replied, throwing his tea cup to the ground and taking Dalcrud into his hands. Holding Dalcrud almost to his face, Aero's eyes filled with inhuman rage.

"Boy, I tried to be pleasant with you," Dalcrud smiled. He placed his hand to Aero's stomach, and pushed softly. Aero's grip was torn from Dalcrud's chest as he was blasted away from Dalcrud, and into one of the two iron doors, causing them to close.

"I didn't want to do this boy, I've gone nearly a millennia without having to lay a finger on someone for negative reasons," Dalcrud said from across the room, pacing in place. Aero picked himself up, wiping the blood away from the corner of his mouth.

"Well, for not fighting in nearly one thousand years, you have some strength in you," Aero complimented Dalcrud. A half smile spanned across Dalcrud's face, and he indicated for Aero to come at him. Aero kicked off from the ground, causing small cracks to scatter around him, as he thrusted forward as hard as he could. Aero threw his fist forward as hard as he could, connecting straight into Dalcrud's face.

"Good form, strong too. You throw all your anger into it, giving everything you've got. But I know there is more in you, Alraith," Dalcrud commented on Aero's attack. Removing Aero's hand from his phase, he was unphased. Dalcrud twisted Aero's arm slightly, and sent Aero careening into the wall next to them. Cracking even more, the walls waned under the pressure, and rejected Aero from crashing through.

Falling to the ground, Aero hit his knees first, than stayed on all fours. Catching his breath, Aero rolled to his back, while Dalcrud slowly walked over to him.

"Stay down young Alraith, I don't want to do this, can't we be civil?" Dalcrud asked, kneeling down beside Aero. Looking dead into Dalcrud's eyes, Aero saw the truth behind his words, yet still refused to believe them. Aero spat into Dalcrud's face a mix of blood and saliva that dripped like oil.

"No," Aero responded, pushing himself from the ground, trying to push Dalcrud away. Dalcrud himself just stepped back, throwing Aero off balance. Aero fell to the side of Dalcrud again, who then lifted Aero by his feet, and flung him into the throne.

"Stop the nonsense boy, I have no hostilities for you!" Dalcrud exclaimed from across the room, his voice booming in the walls.

"Liar!" Aero screamed, picking chunks of the throne and throwing them at Dalcrud. Dalcrud walked forward slowly, shrugging off the chunks that cracked against his chest and face. Grabbing Aero by the collar of his neck, Dalcrud lifted the boy from the ground like a feather.

"What did I do to you?" Dalcrud asked blatantly. Sneering in pain from his gashes across his body, Aero answered.

"You killed my father..." Aero spat out. Dalcrud released Aero, stepping back appalled.

"I sent my sons to kill you, and no one else. You were my only target, for you were the first half breed, and abnormality. Your father and family were not a part of my _hit list_," Dalcrud responded to Aero. Dalcrud's truthful words pierced Aero's ears as slanderous lies, even though he knew them to be true.

"You lie even more!" Aero screamed, punching every which way at Dalcrud. As Dalcrud dropped Aero, and staggered back slowly from the punches, finally _losing_ ground. Aero relentlessly pushed forward against Dalcrud, hitting separate areas of his body, before delivering an uppercut that brought Dalcrud off the ground.

Dalcrud flipped backwards in air, landing back upon his feet. Brushing the dust from his coat, Dalcrud again looked unphased from what had just happened. No blood poured from wounds, nor did wounds even appear. Turning his head side to side, and cracking his vertebrae, was his only indication of damage.

"Aero, I did not cause the demise in your father, let alone know myself he was dead until you just telling me. I promise you I had no part in the death of your father!" Dalcrud exclaimed with heat. Aero appeared just before Dalcrud, and thrusted his clenched fist straight into his face. Trying to fight the force of Aero's punch as much as possible, Dalcrud resisted flying back.

_How is he so powerful? He started with nothing to him, and now he can nearly force me to step back, _Dalcrud thought to himself. Aero's fist pushed past Dalcrud's chin, and twisted his upper body. Dalcrud recuperated quickly, and trickles of liquid began seeping out of his mouth.

"Am I bleeding?" Dalcrud questioned, wiping the viscous red liquid from his chin. Across from him, Aero sat panting heavily, with anger plastered on his face. Across the entirety of Aero's right hand, blood was profusely pouring from a self-inflicted gash

"No, that's my blood. Something my father taught me if I were to ever come across you, or any from here. Our demonic blood boosts our power against you, but it needs to be within contact of you," Aero explained.

"Well, I guess I'll need to be more careful," Dalcrud chuckled. He extended out his right hand, and a set of armor from behind Aero began to shake and rumble in place. The black plate armor set, split at its joints, and flew to Dalcrud, smacking into his body and sealing back into place. It covered every inch of his body, with no opening. Full plate armor, with no weak points, Aero's blood was now useless.

"If it can't touch me, than it won't work," Dalcrud continued chuckling, his voice crisp and clear. The face plate of his helm extended to a point just below his eye level, and was made of a metallic mesh. Aero let out a roar of hatred as he lunged for Dalcrud once more, but was stopped with an open palm to his chest. Dalcrud held his hand at Aero's chest, and slowly bent his fingers closed, and quickly repulsed them open.

The air behind Aero shifted with Dalcrud's movements, first circling into Aero's body. Then, violently gusting out of it, and pulling him away. Aero smashed into the door, and fell to the ground beside it, gasping for air, for his chest had just been punched with air.

"If… you didn't kill my father… Then why keep attacking me…? Why not, just dodge my every move, and explain yourself. I know you did it Dalcrud! You couldn't live with us being…"

Aero was cut off by three very loud knocks on the door, and he and Dalcrud turned to the vibrating metal.

"Knock, knock!" Leon exclaimed, blasting the door wide open, and walking into the throne room. At his feet, a bloody Deran and Xander crawled, weak and nearly lifeless. Leon looked to Aero, and smiled, than to Dalcrud.

"How did you..?" Dalcrud staggered to the steps up his throne, falling upon them in fear. "That door is unable to be open except by me. I made it so, and sealed it so with the librarian's magic!" Dalcrud screamed.

"Might want to get that checked," Leon replied. He walked to the center of the throne room, which was also the midway point of Aero and Leon.

"Why are you here Leon?" Aero grunted, slowly coming to a standing position. Leon turned to Aero, with a loving smile upon his face.

"I came here to finish the job that I started," Leon replied. Dalcrud stood behind Leon, and put his hand to Leon's shoulder with a sinister grip.

"You won't kill me so easily," Dalcrud said angrily. Leon lifted his hand, and took a hold of one finger, and removed Dalcrud's hand from his shoulder.

"Not you, him," Leon responded, pointing to Aero. "I am here to finish killing my family," Leon smiled. Before he could even return to face Aero, it was too late for Leon to react. Aero's fingers wrapped around Leon's face, and drug him to the ground.

"YOU DID THIS?!" Aero screamed to the heavens. Leon kicked Aero from him, and retreated a few paces back, grabbing Dalcrud.

"Come with me, I've just sealed the fate of everyone in here," Leon demanded of Dalcrud. Dalcrud stood beside Leon, and the two looked for an opening in the walls, but found none.

"What's going on?" Dalcrud asked. Aero stood in the center of the throne room, just swaying slowly back and forth, with a menacing look upon his face. Leon got a quick glimpse of Aero's look, and fear shot through his body.

"I angered Aero to the point of snapping, which means that the demon within is coming, and Aero will have complete and utter control. It's only happened once before in the entire bloodline of our family, and the last time that happened…"

"I lost half of my army to one man because I killed his sister," Dalcrud finished Leon's sentence. The two ran for the wall, and Dalcrud punched an opening through it, with no damage to his armor. Dalcrud and Leon escaped into the dark forest, but were followed soon after, by a dark figure.


	2. Chapter 2

Leon and Dalcrud landed amongst the brush and rubble on the outskirts of the castle walls. The forests modern livelihood was decaying, some even burnt, others smashed by the rocks of the wall. The forest clearing was only a couple hundred yards ahead, and beyond that, Leon knew he would find some form of sanctuary. Yet, they first had to make it to the clearing, and both of them knew with Aero not far behind their chances dwindled.

"We need to move!" Leon exclaimed, jumping into a sprint. Smoke flew off of his hands as he bolted through the clearing, Dalcrud followed in suit, but slightly slower with the armor weighing him down. The figure that followed them from the castle landed with a shockwave not far from where they started, and a plume of dust shrouded his features, Leon could not discern who or what, it was, and he pushed himself faster into the clearing.

Dalcrud smashed through the trees on the outer edge, snapping their limbs, and bringing them crashing down. Leon looked around, and saw nothing but shadows and darkness. It was nearly midnight, and this forest was unfamiliar to him. He was lost, more than he had ever been before. With no way out, Leon fell to fear, but Dalcrud pulled him out, and led the way.

"Over here is a cave, protected by my magic. It will mask our scent from anything from this earth, and keep us safe until we can make a plan," Dalcrud explained, leading deeper into the forest.

"We need to make it there first, and that has to be before Aero finds us, or whatever that thing is," Leon replied to Dalcrud's calmness. Dalcrud looked back to Leon, through his helm, and saw the fear lacing itself into Leon's eyes. Dalcrud brought his hand up swiftly, harshly smacking it across Leon's face.

"Get a hold of yourself, and let's go," Dalcrud whispered. In the sudden shock of pain, Leon lost his fear, and followed Dalcrud into the forest.

"So, what did you do Leon?" Dalcrud asked, a tone of anger brushing in his words. Leon, slightly shocked at how the question crossed him, hesitated to answer.

"I killed our father, John, to become the next clan leader. But, somehow, the brat Aero, was more fit than me, even thought age succeeds first. To rule my clan, and make it how I wanted, I needed Aero out of the way as well," Leon answered.

"And what of your sister, Rose, what would come of her" Dalcrud continued to question.

"If she had chosen to join me, nothing, if she had chosen to defy me, her fate would match those of my father and brother. I just needed to drop Aero before her, because the two of them together, outmatch me," Leon answered with no hesitation. From fifty yards to the east, trees were being uprooted as something smashed through the forest.

"Could that be him?" Dalcrud asked, turning to face Leon. Leon looked through the brush, and still couldn't discern what he was looking at.

"It can't be, whatever it is, is nearly three times the size of Aero," Leon answered. He looked back to get a better look at the monstrous figure, but it was gone.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear before your very eyes," a deep and malphested voice spoke from behind Leon and Dalcrud. One massive hand pushed Dalcrud away, and a normal one took a hold of Leon. He was lifted into the air, to see his brother, Aero, half twisted and malphormed, into a demon.

"Hello brother," Aero chuckled, his voice deep and malphested. The left side of his body had begun the transformation into a demon. His face was black and sleek, with white lines stretching away from his eyes, and one horn growing from his left temple. His left arm, was the size of his body, and looked to be made of some form of stone. His legs remained the same, but the demonic presence within was still growing throughout his body, and Leon could see it overtake the entirety of Aero's face before he was dropped.

"What have you become Aero?!" Leon asked in fear. Aero circled around Leon's body, holding his massive left hand just inches above the ground. Aero's entire face was now black and sleek, with white lines, starting from his eyes, and extending across his head, to the lower part of his neck.

"I've become what I was destined to be, the bearer of power. Sin incarnate, the ultimate demon, half-human, half-whatever we are. My power is unmatched, and it's all. Thanks. To. YOU!" Aero screamed, dragging his left hand across the ground, and smashing it into Leon's entire body. Leon was sucked in by the vacuum force of the wind against him, and released like a sling-shot into a tree inches behind him as Aero stopped.

Leon broke through the six foot thick tree, and skidded across the ground, coming to a screaming halt against some rock surface. Grasping his chest in pain upon the ground, Aero instantly appeared in front of the beaten and bruised Leon.

"Is the poor little baby hurt? Maybe we should fix that," Aero chuckled, raising his left arm above his head, preparing to smash it into Leon once more. As Aero sought to release his muscles holding his arm up, Dalcrud came from behind, and let a ruthless punch into Aero's backside. Dalcrud felt as if he punched solid stone, stronger than what he used to layout his castle, but managed to send Aero reaming forward into the wall of rock.

"Ow, that almost hurt," Aero said, turning to face an onslaught of punches. Dalcrud was relentlessly fast, hurdling himself in every direction, connecting with every inch of Aero's body. Dalcrud was moving at such a fast rate, that everything around him slowed, even the single flap of a butterfly's wing were visible to him at his speed. Looking away for one second, Dalcrud faltered with one punch, allowing Aero to bring his massive arm down as a shield to protect his body.

Leon took the chance he had, and slid out from beneath Aero, coming to a stand behind Dalcrud. He noticed that Dalcrud was hitting with enough force, to crack the stone _skin_ of Aero's arm. As every punch landed, it looked as if the stone chipped away, almost as if it wasn't a skin, but a cocoon, or armor. Aero's right arm now began the same transformation, but Leon wouldn't allow it.

Leon lunged for Aero's transforming hand, but was caught in its massive fingers, and held in place. Aero looked to his brother, with a sinister grin, his pure white teeth menacing in the moonlight, and softly squeezed. Aero's massive fingers, even with a slight squeeze, was enough to bolster the air from Leon's lungs, and suffocate him. Dalcrud continued chipping stone away, until he found the weakest spot.

"Forgive me boy," Dalcrud cried out, throwing one final blow to the socket of Aero's left arm. Cracks shot across the entirety of Aero's stone covered body, including his right arm and back. Aero looked down, and saw the stone _skin_ peel off of him, and reveal what was beneath. His entire body now, except for his legs, was completely black, and shining in the light of the moon.

It looked sleek to the touch, as if trying to cut it, would just cause the sword to slip away. His arms, also had one single white line, circle itself from his wrist, to his elbow, back around his bicep to his shoulder, and connected just below the ones from his eyes. The four white lines from his eyes, extended down into one, and connected with the two from his arms, between his two shoulder blades. From the center point of the connection, to six foot demonic wings sprouted from Aero's back.

Leon fell to the ground, gasping for air. The rock arm that once held him fell to pieces around him. Dalcrud staggered back, nearly exhausted from what he had just done. Releasing a deafening shriek, Aero threw a punch straight into Dalcrud's torso, and sent him flying back into the forest, hundreds of yards away.

"I guess you saved me a few more hours of transformation," Aero told to Leon, inspecting his new body. Leon crawled back to the rock wall behind him, trying to gain grip to stand. Aero walked at a slow pace over to his brother, moving around his arms, and fingers, getting a _feel_ for them.

"Not exactly what I would have liked to happen," Leon responded, his hands beginning to smoke as he held them against the rock surface. Aero drew closer, and a fire grew between Leon's hands and the earth beneath them. Aero was three feet from Leon, and with no guard up to protect him. Leon lunged forward, placing his flaming hands upon Aero's face and lower torso, releasing a cyclone of fire that engulfed Aero's entirety and dissipated fifty yards back.

As the fire faded from Leon's hands, Aero was revealed, with nothing on him. No burns, no ash, not even smoke poured from his body. His wings let one big flap out, and blasted the smoke away in a seven foot diameter. Grabbing Leon by the collar of his shirt with his left hand, Aero lifted Leon off of the ground.

"My turn," Aero smiled. Aero turned his body forty-five degrees to the left, and flung Leon into the air. Holding his right hand at his waist, he curled his fingers slightly, and a ball of shadow flame conjured them. Aero thrusted his right arm up to the sky, and the ball of shadow flame flew from his hand, straight into Leon's torso. The ball exploded into a sphere of purple fire, and dissipated into a hole of shadow.

Leon fell from the sky, half-conscious, only to bombarded in the air by Aero once more. Fists flew into Leon's chest, and lifted him higher into the air. A barrage of attacks, kept Leon levitating, and soaring ever higher. Unable to fight back, Leon fell limp from the barrage, eventually falling unconscious.

Aero stopped his barrage, and flip kicked the unconscious Leon into the ground fifty feet below. Aero descended slowly, landing beside Leon, preparing to give the final blow. Holding his right arm above his head, and his left hand below his waist, Aero slowly sank into a stretched, yet balanced stance.

"NO!" Dalcrud screamed from behind Aero. Dalcrud charged from fifty feet away, and threw himself into Aero as hard as he could. Aero was dislodged from his stance, and fell forward, yet, flapped his wings to stay afoot.

"You're pissing me off old man, you should have stayed out of this!" Aero exclaimed, pushing his left hand forward and sending a blast of air in Dalcrud's direction. The air around Aero's hand first vacuumed in, than blasted itself out in a force so hard, that Dalcrud flew out of his armor suit, and stopped against a tree behind him.

Leon regained consciousness, and staggered to a standing point. Aero turned to Leon, and reconjured a ball of shadow flame in his right hand. Lunging with his right hand back, Aero prepared for his final strike once more, and unleashed his power, into one thrust. Aero's hand struck through something solid, but he was cut short of Leon.

"Not… today…" Dalcrud coughed up blood, his heart pierced by Aero's right hand. Chuckling slightly, Aero opened his hand wide, and a cyclone of shadow flame engulfed Leon. Screaming in agony from behind Dalcrud, Leon's pain soothed an anger inside of Aero.

"You could have lived _King_," Aero whispered, as he tore his arm from within Dalcrud's chest, and let him fall next to Leon's burnt body.


	3. Chapter 3

Aero tossed the lifeless body of Dalcrud aside, and walked to the burnt Leon. Leon's body, now black and red all around, was a horrific sight. Aero smiled to himself, and knelt beside his dying brother.

"See what you've caused? See what you've done to me?" Aero chuckled, sliding his right index finger across Leon's burnt chest, blood tracing behind it. Leon gasped in pain, holding in a scream.

"I…I help… helped you Aero. If not… for me, you... you'd still be weak. Now you're strong… strong enough, to do what needs… to be done. Finish what I started, and get rid of her," Leon had trouble saying. Aero looked into Leon's desperate eyes, and saw who he was next to kill, and rage again filled Aero.

"No! I won't do it!" Aero screamed, picking Leon up while standing himself. Smiling now, Leon's horrifying details became menacing.

"It's not you who's going to do it," Leon responded. Confused Aero dropped Leon, and turned his back. Leon fell into a clump of pain, gasping again for air, but was unable to get any.

"Just because I unleashed this monster, doesn't mean that I won't be able to control it Leon. I was able to use it against you and Dalcrud, and managed to stay in control. I'll just reseal this power, and leave it at that. I am not the monster you thought I have become, I am still me," Aero told, turning to face nothing. Leon had disappeared, and the burnt grass and ash stirred where he lay.

"Who's there?!" Aero screamed out to the sky. He circled in place, but found no one, and saw only ash. A fire stirred in Aero's belly, and slowly spread across his body. Reaching his mind, the fire turned into dark laughter. Aero fought, and suppressed the demon within, but exasperated his energy doing so. Aero fell to his knees, his hands to the ground, and his demonic form slowly receded away, as his skin turned back to normal.

"Aero, yet again we meet upon the field of battle, and yet again, you're kneeling before me," the voice of Xander struck Aero's ears as a meandering surprise. Aero looked up to see Xander with his left hand upon Shihen's hilt, and Deran standing beside him. Xander stepped forward, and held Aero's chin up, staring deep into Aero's eyes, he said.

"You killed my father, out of anger and hatred. It is only fair, and just, that we now kill you. Of course, we allot you the chance to fight back, we are honorable after all. But know, we won't make this easy for you. You will die here Aero, I will make sure of it."

"Deran, you once loved my sister, did you not?" Aero beckoned out to the trembling brother.

"Yes, that is true," Deran responded calmly. He rolled a massive, golden battle axe from his back. Between the two blades of the axe, was a golden skull, its mouth opened wide. Even though the mouth went through to the other side, all that could be seen within was darkness.

"Than I shall allow you to leave and turn your back on both your brother and I. Leave, and go to my sister, tell her what has transpired, and tell her the truth we all know now," Aero said, his voice stern and serious. He lifted himself from his knees, and stood face-to-face with Xander.

"What is your choice going to be brother?" Xander asked. Without even turning his back, Deran felt the heated stare of his brother. Aero and Xander stood before one another for what felt an eternity, before Deran responded.

"Forgive me, my love," Deran whispered to himself. Deran's tremble ceased, and he looked to Aero with a reignited fire in his eyes. Deran threw the axe over his right shoulder, and walked to be beside his brother.

"Deran, I respect your decision. If I do not leave this battlefield, I give you my blessing to be with my Rose. If you do not leave this battlefield, I shall tell her of your bravery within battle," Aero said, bowing before Deran. Xander pulled his two and a half foot Shihen from its hilt, and brought it down unto Aero's neck.

"Enough chatter!" Xander exclaimed in anger as he did so. Aero flipped to the side, just getting the back of his neck nipped by Shihen. As Aero landed and caught balance, he ran into what felt like a wall. He got sight of Deran before him, and felt the sting of a metal bar smashing into his torso.

Aero flew into the air, gasping for air as his chest collapsed. His broken ribs snapped back into place, and the holes in his lings healed quickly, but the pain of this hit stayed within Aero's mind.

_Such power_, Aero thought to himself, as he came to the top of his ascent. AS he descended, Aero turned his body so he nosedived, aiming for Xander. Deran now stood beside his brother, his axe held upon his right shoulder. Aero shot down at an angle, so as when he hit, he would drag his target back until he stopped, and he succeeded.

Aero struck both brothers with the force of lightning, and dragged them into the ground for thirty yards. Aero stood between two massive craters, and looked upon two bloodied bodies. Dirt and mud encrusted over Xander's heated body, while it simply clumped upon Deran. Turning to walk away, Aero believed he was finished with these two.

"Where are you going?" Xander questioned Aero, now standing, his wounds healed. The mud began to melt away from his body, and the water from it steamed off. In Xander's left hand, was an orb of fire that was continuously growing. With a smirk upon his face. Xander looked from Aero, to his left hand, and thrust it forward. A cone of flames shot from the orb, and engulfed Aero's entirety.

"Deran, now. Take Leon to the librarian and his sister," Xander whispered. Deran looked to his brother, and shook his head.

"But you won't…"

"Just do it!" Xander exclaimed silently, interrupting Deran. Looking away with grief, Deran listened to his older brother. Placing the battle axe upon his back, Deran jumped to Leon, then disappeared from the battlefield with him. Xander released his cone of fire, and dropped his left hand, panting for air.

Aero was left kneeling after the attack, his body now just covered in sweat and ash from his clothes. His pants, now torn and burnt, only made it to his knees. His shirt waved and flowed in the wind as scraps only tucked into his pants. His feet were bare, surrounded only by ash.

"Come Aero," Xander called out, holding Shihen before his body. He wavered in place, but stood his ground. The fire blast had taken more out of him than he had wanted.

Aero stood up, his face stern. He looked to both of his arms, and noticed no burn marks. A maniacal smile overtook Aero's face, and from the center of his torso, to the rest of his body, the sleek black skin expanded. In a mere instant, Aero was now back to his demonic form.

Aero released a menacing roar, and charged forward. Xander brought Shihen down straight, connecting unto Aero's left shoulder. Aero stopped his charge, and stood motionless, and Xander held his blade in place. A plume of ash and smoke surrounded Xander, blinding everything past four inches of his sight.

Xander drew his blade back, and looked across it, finding no blood. With a flap of Aero's massive wings, the ash and smoke disappeared, and Xander studied his opponents body. Upon Aero's left shoulder, there was no mark, not even an indentation of where the blade struck, Fear ran across Xander's body, his fire, and now his blade, were both useless in this fight.

_Do not fear boy_, an unknown voice rang in Xander's head. It rang throughout his head, echoing multiple times. Dalcrud looked around for anyone else upon the battlefield who could be scrying into his mind, but found no one.

_There is no _one_ person, technically, who is doing this to you. I'm in your hand,_ the voice told Xander. He lifted his right hand, and looked upon Shihen.

"Shihen?" Xander questioned his own sanity. Aero stood motionless across from Xander, his head bowed to the ground, as if fighting his own mental battle.

_Yes master, now listen, allow me to share my power with you. Open your mind to me, allow me in. Without me, you are doomed to fail this fight, _Shihen pushed his voice into Xander's mind.

"But, how, and why have you come to me now?" Xander asked. Shihen answered with silence, for he was running low on power. Seeking the path to victory, Xander opened himself up to his blade, and felt an overwhelming power take him.

_I was unable to contact you before, you were to prideful. Now, in your first time of fear since having me, you actually needed me, _Shihen answered. Xander's body became enveloped in a heavy, red aura. It deviated away from him, fighting to be unleashed. _Now, use my power, _Shihen shouted in Xander's head.

Xander jumped into the air, flipping to give himself a boost of force as he dropped onto Aero. As Xander fell, he held his blade, end pointing down, as to stab straight through Aero. Releasing a bolstering war cry, Xander awoke Aero from his motionless state, and was met with retaliation.

Aero reached up, and gripped the end of Shihen, with no damage coming to his hand. With his free hand, Aero wrapped his fingers around Xander's face, and yanked him away from his blade.

"Shihen!" Xander exclaimed, reaching out for his blade. Aero flicked the blade away, and it landed in a rock, digging itself in a foot and a half. He then, brought a closed fist into Xander's solar plexus, releasing him from his grip. Suspended in the air by Aero's fist, Xander was motionless in pain with every rib of his cracking.

"Foolish prince," Aero spat, removing his fist from Xander's solar plexus. Xander felt as if he fell for eternity, every nerve in his body jolting in pain. His ribs cracked, and his power no out of control, it sent pain surging through his body. He came ever closer to the sweet sanctuary of the ground and a sense of time, but was denied. Aero gripped the collar of Xander's shirt, and flung him over his back, and into the rock that Shihen had been flicked into.

"One last ditch effort," Xander said to Shihen, as he dug it from the rubble of the broken rock. Grabbing the hilt, and wiping the blood pouring from his mouth, Xander barely managed to stand. He pulled what energy he could, and shadow stepped to appear right behind Aero. Aero turned at the last second, as Xander thrusted his right hand, and Shihen forward, to stab straight through Aero's beating heart.

Shihen's end connected to Aero's chest, but nothing happened. Xander, even with his arm fully extended, couldn't stab through Aero's skin. He then noticed why, Shihen was broken, what he held, was a shattered part of the blade, just the hilt, and a fragment.

Smiling, Aero brought both of his hands above his head, and clenched them together. Interlacing his fingers, Aero brought his fists upon Xander's head, and smashed him into the ground.


End file.
